


Psych ward

by the_silent_sea



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Gen, Mental Health Issues, psychiatric ward
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-06
Updated: 2014-02-06
Packaged: 2018-01-11 09:25:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1171412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_silent_sea/pseuds/the_silent_sea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a little breakdown. Nothing to get excited about.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Psych ward

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [10 Drabbles for 10 Songs in 20 Minutes (CM)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/343385) by [blythechild](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blythechild/pseuds/blythechild). 



> Originally I did 10 little pieces, each inspired by a random song generated by putting iTunes on shuffle. These three made a nice set. I cheat like mad in every possible way.

#### Reid in the psych ward (He’s talking to me again.)

He’s talking to me again. (Don’t talk to me.) The television’s on. There’s noise from the street. The light’s too bright. I’ll stay here on the couch. (He’s sitting down next to me.) I’ll keep my eyes on the television. I’ll use the power of my brain to block out the television while looking at the television. I won’t move. I won’t look at him. He’s talking to me again. He’s always coming to sit with me. (I don’t want to sit with him.) There was that one time he touched my leg. It wasn’t accidental. (I stayed very calm when that happened!) I’ll keep my eyes on the television. There are two people on the television and they’re sitting on a couch. I’m sitting on a couch and he’s talking to me. The television people are smiling brightly. (I’m not smiling brightly.) I’ll stop looking at the television. I’ll look at the sleeve of my cardigan where the edge is unravelly. I’ll play with the unravelly edge. I’ll use the power of my brain to make him move away. (He’s moving closer.) I’m going to have to call the nurse over. (I don’t want to call the nurse over.) I’m using the power of my brain to stay very calm.

  


#### Him (These are the rules.)

“…These are the rules. You’re only allowed one yoghurt at breakfast — I tried to get a yoghurt for you too — but you’re only allowed one yoghurt at breakfast — what’s your name? — you’re only allowed two pairs of pyjamas. These are the rules. Your visitor has to take the dirty pyjamas away and bring clean pyjamas — you don’t have visitors — your hair is all kinds of pretty — you can have my clean pyjamas when yours are dirty — you’re not allowed to scream and thrash about — you’re not allowed to hit people. These are the rules. But if you want to hit someone, you can hit me — I won’t mind if it’s you — what’s your name? — you screamed and thrashed about and hit people — you’re only allowed to be in your bedroom and the public areas — you’re not allowed to be in anyone else’s bedroom — but you can be in my bedroom if you like — you’re not allowed to get up on the roof and kiss someone. These are the rules. But I know how to get up on the roof — we can go now if you like — what’s your name? — if I touch you again will you start screaming again? — and thrashing about? — and hit me again? These are the rules…”

  


#### Reid after the psych ward (Coffee shop in D.C.)

“Oh, hi. Yes. How are you? I’m fine now, thanks. I mean I’m fine, thanks. Yeah, I like this place too. Yes, I did have a good sabbatical. California. Yes, it was really good, actually. No, no tan. I’m, um you know, just not keen on the sun. Yes, I probably am paler than before. I suppose it is a bit ironic. Yes, it’s good to be back. We have some interesting cases just now. Yes, I did a bit of lecturing. A privately funded research school. Near Santa Monica. Not sure you’d have heard of it. Yes, my colleagues were quite interesting, I suppose. In a way. I guess. They had some, um, interesting ideas. Er, well, research into the effect of certain types of rules on social behaviour. That sort of thing. Yes, it’s good to be back. The coffee in California was dreadful.”


End file.
